Category: review

Class of ’59
Author: John Heldt
Series: American Journey Book 4
Genre: Time Travel/ Romance

I have received the book from the author for a fair review, my opinions are not affected by the gift.

I am a follower of the American Journey series, special thanks to the author John Heldt for the privilege. All the books in the series are unique and standalone, and I will admit that Class of ’59 is my favorite from all the books that I have read in the series. Sure, they are all related to time travel, but that is just part of the story. Honestly, what is more romantic than finding your soul mate in another era? Class of 59 seems to be the best year to meet someone new.

I am sure that the author is a romantic too, because he has written something to show that true love can and does transcends time. Generation gap is non-existent when it comes to young people in love, but I feel that the characters sometimes do have contrasting values. Both Ryan and Mary Beth are young people in love, however they are shaped by the society they were born and raised in. Thankfully, the characters in the book show great resilience and adaptability. If you want to be a time- traveler, you do have to be very adaptable.

Class of ’59 is wildly romantic, I love how Mary Beth from 2017 meets Ryan of 1959, together they discover the secret of time travel. Risking changing their future by tampering with the past, both people have a whirlwind romance. But Mary Beth does not think that it is fair to ask either party to move across time lines, even if it means not seeing each other ever again. When threat arises, a decision has to be made, and fast.

Class of ’59 is exciting and unique, it shows what the author believes in (aside from time travel) and from the books in the series, the theme so far is love transcends all. Somehow, it requires courage to make a big decision like that, because even moving across continent to spend a lifetime with another person is a big commitment. If you are a big lover of good love story and a bit of time travelling, this American Journey book and series is definitely up your alley.

Peyton Andrews is seventeen, full of life and a promising future with good grades and a scholarship to UCLA. The only problem with her almost perfect life is that she has not had a proper date before. Her friends all have boyfriends, and she is not ugly nor boring. Her focus on her studies has made her an outsider of sorts in her circle.

When Brad Davis enters her life, Peyton thought her dream had come true. Brad is a trophy boyfriend, and they hit off instantly. As a senior, Peyton finally has found a date for prom night. Things are going along swimmingly and Peyton even got a prescription for birth control. She is quite a responsible young woman, pregnancy is so far down her life’s bucket list she’s making sure it doesn’t happen sooner.

Peyton’s Choice is a story for young girls, and as a reminder to those who think single, young mothers are at fault. Peyton herself did not plan to get pregnant and destroy her future, but it happened. Nothing is 100% effective, especially when it comes to pills, even condoms are only 96% effective in preventing pregnancy. It is unfair to blame things solely on the girls, when the boys are just as guilty for not being responsible about their sex life.

What is next? In Peyton’s Choice, I see how young girls are pressured from many sides. To abort or to keep the baby, she will get blamed either way. I guess the author wants this story to be less depressing, so Brad is kind of a sweet guy, because we all know not all guys are like Dream Guy Brad here. In the end, I want to say that it is her choice in the end, and no matter what decision, it is none of our business as an outsider.

Max Bennett and Emilia Campbell rekindle their friendship after several years apart, while they are happy to see each other again, both are wary of the chemistry between them. Together, they catch up on history and the childhood memories, and life goes on. While Max is sure that he is really attracted to Emilia, he is unsure if he wants to test their friendship by going romantic.

Things have been tough for poor Emilia, first her grandmother’s mental state was deteriorating, then she was jilted at the alter. Forgive her if she has been wary of a new relationship. As Max tries to convince her that she is the one for him, Emilia has reservations.

Your Inescapable Love is another one of Layla Hagen’s amazing Bennett family series, although it can be read as a standalone, it is better with the others. You get to meet the Bennett Brood, and their respective love stories. So far I enjoy the stories, because they are unique and not much repetition. Family love is not and should not be the barrier to finding true love.

Today we are celebrating the release of THE LOST CODEX by Heather Lyons. This is the 4th, and final, book in The Collectors’ Society series. Be sure to check out the buy links below for it and the previous books in the series.

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Heather Lyons is known for writing epic, heartfelt love stories often with a fantastical twist. From Young Adult to New Adult to Adult novels—one commonality in all her books is the touching, and sometimes heart-wrenching, romance. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. She and her husband and children live in sunny Southern California and are currently working their way through every cupcakery she can find.

A bittersweet review for the Collector’s Society series, thank you to InkslingerPR for this wonderful journey and opportunity. Alice and Finn’s battle is far from over, with Wonderland in threat, stakes are higher than before.

Even though this is the last book of the series, it does not feel rushed. Heather Lyons had built everything to this moment, and bringing it down gently after an exciting climax. I definitely would love to read about The Queen of Heart’s story as separate, she does have an interesting background.

As Alice and Finn tries to save their world, their story from being erased completely, things get hairy as their enemies are stronger than they are. We know about the Piper, we know about the Thirteenth Witch, what we didn’t know is why the Queen of Hearts liaised herself with them.

And finally

Suspense! Mysteries finally solved! If you are interested in reading this book, you would have to start with the Collector’s Society, the first book that takes you on this really psychedelic journey. If you love books, this series is definitely for you,

Gosh, which villain next for the Collector’s Society?

There are so many candidates! Such as Lannister family, Voldmort is dead so he doesn’t count (I would say the Malfroys though). how about that Elf Queen in Sarah Maas’s series huh? if I have to really pick one, probably be Lemony Snicket, if he is still alive, I cannot remember.

Dastardly, devious and downright funny, I think Mr. Snicket would provide some mind brain challenge for the society.

I have received the book from the authors in exchange for a fair review.

Story starts off with transman Charley MacElroy and Electra going to Paris, meanwhile there is a plot of plant dirty bombs around Paris, to threaten the government into kicking out the migrants. Main thing is that, you already know who the bad guys are, the heroes do not. Top that off with Charley and Electra having relationship problems because of the topic of polyamory.

I do not mind this book, it is easy to read despite the fact that I have not read the first book, Transformed: San Francisco. Accompanying Charley and Electra on a chase to find the bad guys was fun, but not totally exhilarating. I am not sure how Electra became a dominatrix sleuth, but she does have a pretty good nose. While Charley is busy cutting red tapes, Electra somehow manages to steal the show.

When the duo is not hunting bad guys, the story turns to their relationship and its problems. While I understand that this is a series and their relationship will be a constant topic, I find that in Transformed: Paris, it was a little long winded. Charley tries to be forceful, but Electra pushes back as she is not comfortable with the idea of polyamory at all.

There is not much thrills in this book, because you are just reading how the story played out, instead of guessing who is the bad guy and what is their next step. While the book is well plotted and the characters are solid, Transformed: Paris is just another action movie that struggles to keep my attention. Overall, this book is a fun read with some interesting conflicts, but it seems like the story is still in the building stage.

I have obtained the book from Netgalley, this will not affect my honest opinion.

Memoirs are a tricky thing to write, isn’t it? I have read some, but never seem to finish them. My husband loves memoirs, his favorite would be Lee Iacocca, the CEO who made Ford and Chrysler great. For me, memoirs are hard to read when they are humorless and lack substance. Why would l want to know someone’s childhood, and how it shapes into their adulthood and decision making? No one walks the exact same path, and has the same circumstances.

My question is, why bother reading?

The answer is in this book, people write memoir because they are compelled to, not because they want to. The collection of stories in the book are interesting and funny, a showcase of many talents and experiences. In Magic of Memoir, I learn how to write better, because memoirs are harder to write. Memoirs need to be accurate, engaging, most importantly memorable. People share their darkest secrets in their writing.

In the Magic of Memoir, authors share their pain and joy, it is like listening to a friend talking about their experiences. What done is done, I will never be a wife of an expat or a victim of child abuse, but from these memoirs I gain a new insight of how they feel. For an aspiring author, this is a valuable tool. I am happy that I requested this book, and happier that I get a chance to read this book.

The Magic of Memoir is a book recommended to everyone, especially writers looking to look into the minds of how people think and act. It contains a lot of writing tips and author insights, a wonderful addition to my writing tools.

Jackson, sometimes known as Jack see Ravens. When he was a kid, he thought that he was touched by magic, so that he would be in the Order of Mages. But it is not to be, Jackson grows up still able to see ravens. The problem? Ravens are extinct when the world bombed a century ago. Jackson had no memory or name when he was a kid, and he struggles to find his past to make peace with his future.

The story started slowly. Jackson was the owner of a shipping company and he does side jobs, as long as the Coalition government does not know about it. When he was approached to do a special, under the radar assignment, he found Anna. Anna in a box, somehow a person who lived in the pre-bombed world.

Together, Anna and Jackson has to find out the mystery surrounding them, and who is this Announcer? And why is Anna immune to radiation, and Jackson can see ravens? The questions make you stay, but the action keeps you engrossed.

Raven Song is confusing for me, I had to read it slowly. Despite that, I did enjoy how Jackson and Anna managed to solve problems and get out of trouble, sort of. The first book of the series, Raven Song is set in a depressing world where people are still trying to live their lives after a devastating nuclear bomb.

A promising book for a series, Raven Song is original to me, and I do wonder a lot of things about the characters in this book. I shall have to wait and see. A book for dystopian fans not looking for Hunger Game types.

One of the main concerns in my aging life is my scalp, hair fall and having less luscious hair. For those mommies who remember what was it like being pregnant and having high estrogen, those days of luscious hair will be long gone after the kid pops out. Kinda sad really.

My biggest mistake is not researching well enough before I buy, however since it was less than aud$10 I guess it was worth the risk. Nioxin is a good brand of hair products, and many people I know love using their system shampoo and conditioner. I had decided to try this on a whim. And I got mine from Strawberry net.

The instruction on the label said: to use in the evening after scalp renew dermabrasion treatment, which was clearly something that I did not do prior. I did forget some days, which is odd for me. The applicator was easy and long, with a dropper that can distribute serum almost evenly for me.

After a few weeks, I don’t see a lot of hair, but I definitely noticed that my hair is falling a little less. Not clumps and clumps during hair combing, which I hope is attributed to the serum as I am not using anything new. So far so good, my hair may not be plentiful as before, but it certainly seems like it has stabilized for me.

I should give that dermabrasion a go, seeing how well the serum works for real.

Deep Blue (A Waterfire Saga Novel) Author: Jennifer Donnelly Series: A Waterfire Saga 1 Publisher: Disney-Hyperion ISBN-13: 978-1423133162 Cover and Link from Amazon Synopsis from Amazon: When Serafina, a mermaid of the Mediterranean Sea, awakens on the morning of her betrothal, her biggest worry should be winning the love of handsome Prince Mahdi. And yet Sera finds herself haunted by strange dreams that foretell the return of an ancient evil. Her dark premonitions are confirmed when an assassin’s arrow poisons Sera’s mother. Now, Serafina must embark on a quest to find the assassin’s master and prevent a war between the Mer nations. Led only by her shadowy dreams, Sera searches for five other mermaid heroines who are scattered across the six seas. Together, they will form an unbreakable bond of sisterhood and uncover a conspiracy that threatens their world’s very existence.

cover from library

A bit sad that most covers are similar, but I guess it is a lot easier to reuse the cover if there is nothing wrong with it. Deep Blue is the first book of a adventure story of the mermaid Serafina, Princess of Merrow, the star of the show with other mermaids. I am a little bit disappointed with the fact that six mermaids were all females, it would have been more realistic to have a mix.

According to Iele legends, six mermaids would have to find their talismans and send some ancient evil back to the depths. Serafina’s journey begins when her home was attacked on her engagement day with Prince Mahdi. With her best friend Neela, who is coincidentally another mermaid on the list of six, they swim to safety and to find answers from the ones who foretold the prophecy.

This is a book that is aimed for younger readers, hence events are written to capture the focus of young people with actions and moral lessons that can be used for later discussion. For those seasoned readers, I can be mean and comment that this book is fast paced but lacked structure and depth compare to others. But that would be harsh as this isn’t really for an adult audience.

As Serafina finds the rest of the mermaids tied to the story, they arrive at the Iele for answers, but they ain’t really getting one that they like. Now the adventure begins, I am still waiting for book two of the series before I comment on how readable this series is.

Perfect for young girls who likes mermaids, although guys might find it boring with girl mermaid swimming around looking lost, although it does have a good dose of action and fighting.

I got this a while a go, but I had to finish my Kieh’s cleanser first before trying this one. I am not a fan of too many cleansers at once, just one and one scrub would do for me, if I do put on makeup, a micellar water would do. I am not a big fan of multiple cleanse, so a good cleanser that does the job once is the one that I would go for.

So, what’ so special about this?

First of all, it says: for sensitive Asian skin. I resent that statement, it is not only for Asian skin.

Containing LHA, it is a fat loving exfoliant that is great for those who suffer from acne, as the bacteria usually lives in the fatty sebum. This is a gentle enough day and night cleanser for those who need a good clean but has sensitive skin. Basically, that’s everyone right? LHA is a gentle acid, so if you have bad acne, it might not help as much, but I felt that it was good enough for me.

This thing is foamy, so a little with warm water is enough, the smell is nice enough, but does not have a ‘wow’ factor. Lather up and rinse gave me a good clean, and I like how my skin feels after it. Using it twice a day is good, but I haven’t see any big changes in my skin, so hopefully it stays good for me.

Since I got it on special, I daresay it was worth the money I paid for, but since then I have not seen it going on sale. Maybe I missed the sale, or La Roche Posay has decided to discount its product less. Nonetheless, if I can afford it, this would definitely be on my long term list.